Man accused of stabbing Community Healthlink worker in face held without bail

Friday

Aug 16, 2013 at 6:00 AMAug 16, 2013 at 1:20 PM

By Paula J. Owen, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

FITCHBURG — The Fitchburg man accused of stabbing a Community Healthlink worker in the face with a box cutter when he was driving him home from appointments on Wednesday is being held without bail after his arraignment in Fitchburg District Court Thursday morning.

The victim, 36-year-old Scott Smith, of Milford, N.H., was able to make it to the lobby of Fitchburg Police Headquarters on Elm Street and was then taken by ambulance to HealthAlliance Hospital — Leominster Campus, where he received 22 stitches to a 6-inch long slash on the right side of his face.

Mr. Johnston, dressed in an old, large white T-shirt and jeans, entered the courtroom and asked the judge to grant him a court appointed attorney.

Judge Mandell allowed the request with no legal fee.

Deborah Ekstrom, president and CEO of Community Healthlink, said Thursday afternoon Mr. Smith was home recovering.

She would not comment on the organization's safety policies regarding employees' interactions with potentially dangerous and violent clients. The incident is under investigation, she said.

Lt. Kevin M. O'Brien said the incident occurred just after 3 on Wednesday afternoon after Mr. Smith had picked up Mr. Johnston for a scheduled appointment and to run some errands.

According to court records, Mr. Smith told police that as he was nearing Mr. Johnston's apartment to drop him off, Mr. Johnston said, "This is for lying to me," and "blindsided" him with a gray box cutter, slashing his face.

Around 4:10 p.m., dispatchers called EMS when Mr. Smith entered the police department bleeding profusely from his face onto the floor.

Around 30 minutes later, police were called to Mr. Johnston's apartment.

"I knew this to be Keyon Johnston's residence," Officer Benjamin D. Kalinowski wrote in his report. "Due to the nature of the previous incident involving Mr. Johnston other units were dispatched as well."

He was arrested without incident and transported by ambulance (followed by police) to HealthAlliance Hospital — Leominster Campus, where he was treated for a medical condition (hemorrhoids) and evaluated by a psychiatrist, according to court documents.

While at the hospital, Mr. Johnston allegedly told a nurse he was angry at Mr. Smith because he had not "done what he said he would do the last three weeks," referring to his promise to bring him Nicorette gum, court documents said.